Ipod replacement ?

[k1221n]

 I am in the market for a new effects processor, looking at the pocket pod and pandora but it seems the micro is the no brainer choice, just wondering how well does it function as an mp3 player ?  hopefully I can kill two birds with one stone.

[Migs]

It functions as an mp3 player although I wouldn't use it as a dedicated mp3 player.  Little big to carry around in your pocket all day and you are limited in memory to 1GB or whatever it is on the SD card whereas my iPod has 8GB of music on it so could never replace it.

[Ted]

Forget about two birds with one stone.  Sorry.

I'm not even sure that a Micro BR is a great choice for an effects processor--if that's all you need, and you don't also need the 4-track recording capabilities. As an effects processor, it is not all that easy to use.  You would end up learning and appreciating it's effects capabilities in the context of recording, bouncing, and mixing.

As an MP3 player, it's less than basic: There's no menu system for finding music by Artist, Album, Genre, or Title.  There's no shuffle either, and the storage capacity is only 1 GB.  But it's great if you want to plug in your guitar, time shift an MP3 and play along using great guitar effects. That can't be done on an iPod--or on anything else.

For MP3 players, I'm a fan of both the iPod and the Zen -- neither of which are effects processors.

[Oldrottenhead]

For MP3 players, I'm a fan of both the iPod and the Zen -- neither of which are effects processors.

not a fan of ipods but the x-fi creative zen has far superior sound quality than the ipod and less intrusive software for uploading files, plus it can deal with a multitude of formats. but like ted says its not an effects processor.

[SdC]

Forget about two birds with one stone.  Sorry.

I'm not even sure that a Micro BR is a great choice for an effects processor--if that's all you need, and you don't also need the 4-track recording capabilities. As an effects processor, it is not all that easy to use.  You would end up learning and appreciating it's effects capabilities in the context of recording, bouncing, and mixing.

As an MP3 player, it's less than basic: There's no menu system for finding music by Artist, Album, Genre, or Title.  There's no shuffle either, and the storage capacity is only 1 GB.  But it's great if you want to plug in your guitar, time shift an MP3 and play along using great guitar effects. That can't be done on an iPod--or on anything else.

For MP3 players, I'm a fan of both the iPod and the Zen -- neither of which are effects processors.

This new Roland gadget does it all, but I don't think it's that portable, doesn't say anything about battery power:
http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=js-8

[Geir]

Even if you don't think you don't need an MicroBR, you do !

[Ted]

This new Roland gadget does it all, but I don't think it's that portable, doesn't say anything about battery power:
http://www.rolandconnect.com/product.php?p=js-8

This looks really cool for the right kind of person, but it's kind of pricey: $399 US.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpvZwxbZUuc

It's got some of the features of the MBR's MP3 mode, and features of a Karaoke Machine, a backing track library, a loopstation, a USB guitar interface (to use with DAW software), and a practice amp.

It's not pocketable, but maybe portable enough for some people--like a small boom box

You can change the key of a song--one feature I wish the MBR had.  But it's lacking everything that I use the MBR for 90% of the time: Multitrack recording, editing, and drum arranging.

It's hard to say how well this would work as a music player--iPod replacement.  I like my playlists, syncing, shuffling, etc.  For $400 US, you could get an MBR and a good MP3 player.

I'm not running out to get one, but I'll let some of my guitar teacher friends know about it for their students with money to blow.

[Oldrottenhead]

You can change the key of a song--one feature I wish the MBR had.

im sure the mbr can do that in mp3 mode

[Ted]

You can change the key of a song--one feature I wish the MBR had.

im sure the mbr can do that in mp3 mode

You can change the tempo of a song in MP3 mode, but not the key.  I often work around this limitation by singing or playing out of key--which comes naturally for me. But I haven't had time to write up a tutorial on that.

[Oldrottenhead]

right enough